4. Stuff the Magic Dragon: Orlando Magic
Give the Orlando Magic credit. Given that they’re named in honor of Walt Disney World, which is a half-hour drive away from the Amway Center, the team could have easily negotiated for some Disney mascots to show up and entertain the crowd during home games.
Heck, with there being a Harry Potter section at Universal Studios, they could have even gotten some old guy to dress up in a Wizard costume. It would’ve been terrible, but it would’ve made sense.
Instead, the team went in a completely different direction with Stuff the Magic Dragon. A play on the song “Puff, the Magic Dragon” using a shorthand term for dunking — you know, that thing great Magic centers do before they leave for another team — Stuff joined the team during their inaugural season in 1989 via an egg-hatching ceremony.
Despite drawing some comparisons to the Phillie Phanatic early on due to their similar appearance (likely due to them being made by the same company), Stuff immediately set himself apart with his zany antics, from doing the usual trampoline dunks to proposing to Kate Upton for some reason.
He’ll also be remembered for assisting Aaron Gordon in the dunk contest duel with then-Minnesota Timberwolves high-flyer Zach LaVine that served as the brief resuscitation that the NBA Slam Dunk Contest needed.
This dragon almost helped save the Dunk Contest! Hence why he’s the only back-to-back Mascot of the Year winner (2016, 2017).